Couple who met while serving as jurors on murder case to be married by trial judge

NEW YORK (AP) � With this murder trial, I thee wed.

Love blossomed in a trial last year between alternate juror No. 3, Traci Nagy, and juror No. 6, Jonathan Cinkay. They picked up their marriage license last week, and Queens Supreme Court Justice Daniel Lewis, who presided over the case, is to marry them next month.

The Daily News reported Sunday that the two made goo-goo eyes on the first day of the trial. Fellow jurors encouraged Nagy, a 36-year-old market analyst, to date Cinkay, 33, a physical therapist. The two went out to lunch during one long break.

"From there it just grew," Nagy said. In the jury room they discussed movies, travel -- everything but the case, which was banned from discussion. "It was a very good way to get to know someone," she said.

After the trial, Cinkay said he called Nagy "as soon as I got out the door" and proposed by year's end.

Story continues



"My friends said to me, 'It would take a murder trial for you to meet the right person,'" he said.

Lewis said he knew during the trial there was something unusual about the jury.

"Some juries are serious, some are somber, but this jury seemed like it was full of beaming, happy people," the justice said. "I didn't imagine they were all playing matchmaker."

The warm feelings didn't do the murder defendant much good. He was convicted.